Category Archives: Food for thought

Squash and Other Gourds – Yes, There is a Recipe

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

So let’s talk about gourds…whether you know it or not, cukes, pumpkins* and squash, along with melons are all part of the same botanical family.  Yes, really – I don’t make this shit up! If you are in doubt as to whether something is in the gourd family, cut it open.  If it has a hollow space filled with fibrous membranes and seeds, chances are it’s a gourd. That includes the funky, bumpy, inedible kinds used for decoration this time of year. Inedible “woody” gourds had often been dried, and hollowed out for use as water dippers, scoops of every description and canisters. Of course the soft fleshed gourds were consumed in several preparations. The thing about gourds is that they grow almost anywhere, including the desert with proper irrigation! If you have ever planted zucchini, you know that they are prolific multipliers and can feed a family easily. So think about how early settlers, trying to feed their families in uncertain climates felt about having such a generous provider among their planted crops. In addition to growing plentifully, many squash are excellent sources of vitamins A and C so they helped keep the settlers healthy, plus the tough skinned gourds (pumpkins, butternut, acorn, etc.) store well and can keep for a long time in a root cellar providing nutrition in the barren winter.

Our Native American ancestors have been working with squash for centuries and we settlers received not only the bounty of their wisdom for our own pleasure and health but for the world as well once people started sailing back to where they came from. Squash and many members of the gourd family are indigenous to the Americas.  That is not to say that other cultures haven’t their own gourds to work with.  The Chinese have been making vessels, both useful and decorative by having bottle gourds grow in a “frame” to specifically shape them for use as boxes, vases etc. for centuries as well.

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Many thanks to Steelcase Furniture for having me speak at their Conference last week!  I was asked, as part of their team building conference here in Vegas, to do a live cooking demo at The Springs Preserve focusing on Fall produce.  I was thrilled to be part of their conference and hope everyone enjoyed Vegas while they were here.  As promised the recipe for the soup is below and I encourage you to make it and enjoy it. Contact me with any questions.

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*On All Hallow’s Eve the most famous member of the gourd family has its big coming out party as Jack-o-Lanterns.  The origins of this however began with the lowly turnip in the British Isles when turnips, because pumpkins had not made it to Europe yet, were carved hollow and little lights were placed inside to ward off evil spirits.

Curried Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Caramelized Apples

Soup

Butternut squash (each average sized squash is 1 ½ – 2 lbs and will make enough soup for 4 – 6 people as a main dish with salad and bread)

Olive oil

Kosher Salt (and pepper if desired)

Chicken or Vegetable stock – homemade or low sodium is best (2 -3 Cups per squash)

Madras style Curry powder of choice – about 1 Tbsp per squash

Pinch of Cayenne pepper – optional

Heavy Cream – optional

 

Apples

Granny Smith Apples – 1 large one will make enough garnish for 1 squash

Clarified butter (aka Drawn butter)

Sugar – you can use Demerara, Brown, Raw or regular granulated

NOTES:

  • This recipe is easy to make VEGAN – just use veg stock and omit the cream or use almond or unsweetened coconut cream to taste
  • Make the apples while the squash is roasting. The caramelization process takes about the same amount of time as the roasting.
  • The apples and soup can be made a day or two ahead and stored in the fridge. Reheat the soup and sprinkle with the chilled apples or bring apples to room temp.
  • This recipe can also be made with acorn squash or pumpkin.

 

Preheat oven to 400

Slice off the stem end of the squash so you have a flat end. Place the flat end on the cutting board so it is bottom up.  Using a SHARP knife carefully cut the squash lengthwise in half.  Scoop out the seeds.

Brush or spray a baking sheet and squash with olive oil.  Sprinkle squash with kosher salt & ppepper and place cut side down on the baking sheet.

Roast in oven until fork tender – about 30 minutes. Check it at 20 then again at 25.  Over cooking the squash into supreme tenderness is preferable to undercooking it.

See how the skin blisters when it is roasted? That's a good indicator that the squash is ready.

See how the skin blisters when it is roasted? That’s a good indicator that the squash is ready.

 

Meanwhile – core and finely dice the apples. I use a mandolin to slice into julienne strips and then cut the strips into dice. Your fine dice should be about 1/8 – 1/4 of an inch.

 

Heat a skillet – I use stainless – on medium heat.  Add butter to pan and make sure it completely coats the bottom (for 1 apple use about 3  – 4Tbsp of butter). Add apples to the skillet, stirring to coat. Sprinkle with sugar. Use the same amount of sugar as you used butter. Stir to coat again.  Turn the flame to LOW and cook, stirring frequently until apples start to become golden in color.  Once that happens REALLY keep an eye on them, they will start to brown quickly.  Continue cooking, stirring frequently until the apples start to resemble bacon bits. When they are a dark golden brown, remove from heat to a paper towel to drain and cool. Blot excess butter and toss the pieces so they don’t stick together. Once you can handle them, remove to an airtight container for storage.

 

Remove squash from oven. Allow to cool slightly so you can handle the squash with a dish towel. Scoop out the flesh from the skins being careful not to catch any of the skin. It’s easy to do because everything has been softened up.

 

Place cooked squash, in batches, in blender with a bit of  either chicken or vegetable stock, just enough that the squash moves easily with the blades. You don’t want it too thin.  You can always add more stock, but you can’t take it out. Puree until smooth. (You can also do this with a hand held stick blender right in a pot).  Heat soup in a saucepan, adding additional stock if needed to thin out the soup to desired texture. If you run out of stock you can use water.  Add curry powder and cayenne pepper. Allow to simmer 30 minutes to let flavors meld. DO NOT turn your back on the simmering soup! It can and will stick to the bottom very easily AND it becomes a VOLCANO of soup if it starts to boil, spraying everything in sight with soup! I learned this the hard way…

 

Stir in heavy cream or half & half for extra richness.  Season with salt & ground pepper to taste.

 

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the apples right before serving.

Don't those apples look like bacon? Then you did it right!

Don’t those apples look like bacon? Then you did it right!

 

Made a day ahead, the flavors will intensify, so be judicious with the seasonings.

 

I’ve Been Sworn to Secrecy!

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

One of the best things about Vegas is that it’s ALWAYS changing. It’s also one of the worst things about Vegas.  They tear down buildings left and right making room for new things with little regard for history. But when those changes mean tasty new options for me, who am I to stand in the way of progress?

There are a LOT of new things here, the SLS for starters (I wasn’t invited to the opening and I STILL haven’t been down there to check it out…soon, I promise).  There are some BIG events on the horizon with our dining scene and I was let in on many of them recently.  Unfortunately ALL of my sources asked to be “off the record”, but what I can tell you is this: new resto openings are involved and they will all likely be tasty additions to our city’s culinary landscape and our downtown is about to get a whole lot more interesting! A little birdie also told me one of my fave competition chefs will soon be seen regularly on TV as a host, not as a competitor. I hope that tickles your taste buds enough to stay tuned here for info releases.

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I went to the Motley Brews Downtown Beer Festival last weekend with some of my favorite people and we had a great time. Thank you again to Robert Bell for being the DD because we are responsible drinkers. (Moment of Truth – I will never understand people who take that risk of drinking and driving, especially when they are grown ass people and not kids). Of course we had VIP tix to take advantage of the special pours inside the reserved area, and they were spectacular.  I didn’t eat anything in the VIP area however because I don’t wait in line for free food. In fact I couldn’t even tell you who catered the VIP area. SORRY!  My feeling on the matter is that the culinary team there should have their shit together so there isn’t a line 25 people deep at each station.  Thankfully the food outside for purchase was fantastic!!

See here the gorgeous Boudin Blanc from Comme Ca – Thank you Brian and Daniel!  Whoop, was that good!

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See here the ridiculously delicious Short Rib Fries from Truck U BBQ – Thank you Mike!

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We also had the Stroganoff Fries from Forte Tapas  (John Courtney on the line there) and ate them so quickly there is no pic.

Next beer event coming up is THIS weekend at the Cosmopolitan. Yes, I am going. With my main squeeze and my SILs from San Francisco. We have a room at the Aria because we are responsible drinkers. And of course the Chefs to the Max event Sunday at Carson Kitchen.  Follow me on Instagram or Twitter and you will see all the pics before everyone else. And follow and like my page on Facebook too. They are all Good for Spooning.

Farm to Table

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I have been a slacker and I am sorry. As August is “Month of Happiness”, there is MUCH to be happy about as we near harvest season in many parts of the country. Here are some thoughts…

Back in the dark ages (haha) farming was a way to feed one’s own family. You ate what you could fresh and then you preserved what you could and if you couldn’t preserve it, you THEN sold or bartered whatever was left for other goods for your house. The same was true for hunting and animal husbandry. “Farm to Table” was a way of LIFE not a catchy menu phrase or marketing option.

Growing up in upstate NY on the Hudson River there were farms and farm stands galore. My family owned one. We grew what was easy to grow and sold it, just like everyone else and I can promise you that I ate more than my fair share of zucchini (Moment of Truth – there are some members of my family that STILL won’t eat squash). We did “farm to table” because it was cheap and relatively easy. Did we always LIKE what we ate?  No, but we were brought up to eat what was put in front of us (Moment of Truth – I despise those parents who cook 3 meals every night NOT due to food allergies, but “because this kid won’t eat this, and that kid won’t eat that”…they’d starve in my house).

What was a way of life, and continues to be a way of life for many in the world, has become a catch phrase for trendy seasonal dining.  Because everyone is so focused on fresh produce, people frequently forget that part of the “farm to table” model includes preserving food for later use. My Mom canned, pickled, and made jelly and jam. I find it mildly shocking to type that, because her favorite thing to make for dinner these days is reservations. I am forever ruined for grape jelly because all of them taste too sweet to me after Mom’s version using concord grapes that were grown on our property. I remember her canning on an open fire – yes, really – in a concrete block fire pit because that was the only place large enough to hold the canning pot. I have learned to preserve food beyond the freezer and I take great pride in knowing that I can my own food.  I love the little “plink” sound when the jars seal. As I write, I am eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s Bountiful Basket Co-op delivery.  I have a case of Hatch green chiles and a case of corn coming.  I am thinking corn relish, canned corn, charred chiles frozen for later use, pickled peppers and of course eating a bunch fresh!

Learn a new skill this year and try canning. Yes, I know it sounds corny (see what I did there?), but it is really satisfying to say, “Yes, I did that!” and hear all the little plinking sounds when the jars seal themselves.

To see what I am eating, follow me on Instagram – all of my food porn shows up there as well as pics of my produce and canning in the next few days. And if you want to know more about the town I grew up near, read this piece, although I can promise you it wasn’t this cool when I lived there.

Feeding Others – A Route to Happiness?

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

A few weeks ago, during the Month of the Bitch, dear friend Rev. Kane asked me to guest blog for his page Ministry of Happiness (you can read that piece here). He asked me to write about the connection of food and happiness for me. I made a list of projected topics and kept that list.  As I stared at the list every day, it got me to thinking that after Bitching for the month of July I should show some gratitude and happiness in the month of August. So here you go.

As I get ready to resume my volunteer work with Three Square (I took a year off after chairing their DISH event last year), I realized that feeding people makes me happy.  They don’t even need to be around MY table for it to make me happy. I realized that part of my internal joy was missing because I wasn’t volunteering to feed people.  But what is it about feeding people that makes me so happy?  Is it that I enjoy the compliments? Is it that I know through feeding their bodies and providing camaraderie to feed their souls I am making THEM happy?  Maybe a little of both I guess.

Me and the cast of Million Dollar Quartet and Three Square CEO Brian Burton at DISH 2013.

Me and the cast of Million Dollar Quartet and Three Square CEO Brian Burton at DISH 2013.

So how do you feel when you eat with friends and family?  When you cook with or for friends and family? We all know that parties make everyone happy, even a “funeral party” where you remember the departed can bring joy. But what about everyday food? I find feeding people everyday food is just as powerful at providing me with happiness as “party food”. Recently a woman in my circle of influence has been treated for cancer; another was in a horrible car accident. Both were sore put to provide meals for themselves. I leapt at the chance to help out. What I found was that I achieved happiness through helping others.  It wasn’t the compliments, it was the joy I brought THEM that made me so happy.  Happiness accomplished!

Do you want to help out?  Do you need more happiness in your life?  Here are some suggestions for you to help others have joy through food:

  • Volunteer at your local soup kitchen – I know a lot of Chefs that offer their time in this fashion.
  • Find your local Feeding America Food Bank HERE, or contact a local food pantry and offer to volunteer in some aspect. No matter what skill set you have they have a job that needs to be done.
  • If you have a friend (or a friend of a friend) who is in need of domestic assistance, offer to make meals for them.
  • Contact your local Meals on Wheels chapter and offer to deliver meals (you don’t even have to cook) to home-bound seniors.  Sister Nancy did this until she re-entered the workforce and found it to be incredibly rewarding.
  • If you live in Vegas, you can help out by dining out.  Choose one of the restaurants on this list and dine August 22nd – 28th on the special menus listed here created for Restaurant Week. Unlike other cities, our Restaurant Week is a fundraising effort to feed others. A portion of your purchase price will be donated to our local Feeding America Food Bank, Three Square.
  • If you live in Vegas, attend Taste of the Nation at The Palms – October 2nd 2014. Tickets are available NOW!  You don’t want to miss this!

I hope you find happiness with your food.  And since August is going to be Month of Happiness and Gratitude expect to see another “nice” piece soon. If you enjoy it, share it with YOUR friends.

Did you know you can subscribe and never miss a post?  You CAN – look to the right of the screen, and NO, I won’t share your email with anyone!  You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

 

Grocery Shopping

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Remember that July is the Month of the Bitch?  Yeah, well here’s some more.

I love shopping, I even love grocery shopping.  What I can’t stand about grocery shopping are three main things:

  1. The way the stores are laid out
  2. The other shoppers
  3. Coupons

Let’s take them one at a time, shall we?

The way the stores are laid out (Moment of Truth – there is a tip in here for you) – There is no standardization! The only thing that is standard in all store lay outs, no matter where you go, is that the stuff that is good for you is on the outer edges.  Think about it, produce, meat, dairy, bakery…all along the walls right? Even when you go to an ethnic market like Cardenas it is the same. For the most part I shop mainly the perimeter of the store, venturing into the center infrequently. When I do, for example, need Dijon mustard, I walk up and down aisle after aisle trying to find what I need. A small part of my brain believes the store managers intentionally move shit around and deliberately don’t change the hanging signs so people like me wander thus giving the security folks something to laugh at on tape. Comic relief must be part of the security team’s perk package.

The other shoppers – It doesn’t matter which lane I get in, it always turns into the “I don’t know what the fuck I am doing lane”. If I am in the self-checkout, I will be behind the person who has never used it before and is maxing out the 15 item limit. If I am in the regular checkout I will get behind the solitary person on the planet who still writes CHECKS or behind the SUPER COUPONER. So, a quick word of advice, if you see me in line, don’t get in line behind me.  It doesn’t matter where, bank, grocery, Target…just choose another lane.  Which brings us to #3…

Coupons – For years I was the one at the checkout that had all the damn coupons, not any more.  And it isn’t because I don’t want to save money, because I do.  It’s because most of the coupons are for things in the MIDDLE of the store.  Prepackaged, prepared, processed foods.  Yeah, you’ll find some for cleaning products, bricks of Kraft cheese and occasionally bagged produce, but for the amount of time I have to spend hunting for those few coupons, I’d rather just pay the regular retail and save myself the headache and save the 25 cents elsewhere.

On a more pleasant note – there are two things I’d like to share:

Longtime friend and author of Ministry of Happiness asked me to be a guest blogger for him this week.  Topic?  Happiness and Food! Go read it and subscribe to his blog – it’s good stuff.  As I tried to narrow the focus for him, I realized there are a LOT of aspects about food that make me happy.  August will explore THOSE happy things! (see, I am not ALWAYS a bitch).

My final demo with the Springs Preserve is this Saturday at 10 am in the Café.  There are always seats available and this month I will be joined by my friend Chef Beni Velazquez.  Together we are doing cocktails and desserts to feed a crowd!  Beni will be sharing his Peach Sangria recipe with us. And just on the off chance that you haven’t seen the video, here is a shameless plug.

 

Yelp! and Why I Loathe It

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I know I have been a slacker – there is no excuse for it.  Perhaps absence made your heart grow fonder?

When it comes to choosing new places to try, I don’t put a whole lot of stock in the populace’s opinions of food.  Here in Vegas in the Review Journal’s “Best of” issue, Joe’s Crab Shack was named best seafood restaurant. Get the picture?  I don’t trust people I don’t know when it comes to their opinions on food.  If I know you love Joe’s Crab Shack and think it is expensive, I really don’t want to hear what you have to say about Bartolotta’s at the Wynn. And before you can say anything, yes, I know I am a snob.  We’ve already covered that.

So here are a couple of examples why, if you LOVE food, you should stop using Yelp:

  • Let’s just say I just opened my new restaurant and I want to get some people in the door.  I can call, email or otherwise contact everyone I know in the area to go on Yelp and write a review.  You never have to have eaten there.  I know this is a fact, because I just did it (and deleted the review).  I even overheard a new restaurateur TELLING friends, “Hey don’t forget to go on Yelp after we open the doors and write a good review.”  Accuracy?  I think not.
  • While dining out with a group of friends one night, the service was TERRIBLE.  The food however was very good.  One of the members of our party was in a snit about the whole experience and proceeds to say very loudly, “This place sucks!  I am going to tear them a new asshole on Yelp!” This person went on to decry the food which wasn’t the problem and made the bad service sound worse than it was. Authenticity?  I think not.
  • Everyone raved about China Mama and when I ate there the food was blah at best and the service was a little too perfunctory for me.  For a long time I refused to go back.  Then I got to thinking, “Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing?”  Yeah, that was it!  I love that place now.  Had I written a review of China Mama after one visit it would have gotten just 1 star. Professionals eat in a place at least three times before reviewing it, so what makes an amateur review after one experience worth anything?

So, for me and mine, I will continue to ask the opinions of people I respect and admire in the food world.  They know me, I know them and we know what each other like to eat.  Trust professionals if you are on vacation, don’t use Yelp.  I know for a FACT that if I trusted some online site full of amateurs to pick my vacay food and it sucked I’d be pissed off!  If you don’t care too much about your food, go ahead, keep on using Yelp. They love that shit!

If you are in Vegas and you want to see me do a live demo, go to the Springs Preserve on Saturday July 19th.  I will be joined by guest Chef Beni Velazquez.  We’ll be making hot weather cocktails and desserts to please a crowd.  Beni will be showing us how to make his Peach Sangria!

And just for  your amusement – THIS.

Tell Me What You Want

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Yesterday was the 3rd Anniversary of this blog. No, I can’t believe it! Time is doing the proverbial flying thing. As time flies by, I find it tough sometimes, coming up with fresh ideas every week, so I want to know what you REALLY want. I launched the new website on the 1st of the year and since then life has been a roller coaster.

I know you love it when I post recipes, so skipping that, what kind of content do you want to see? Some ideas are:

  • Party planning tips
  • Restaurant reviews
  • Event reviews
  • More frequent postings (I usually post once a week, sometimes twice)
  • Booze news
  • Travel info
  • Guest bloggers (one coming up in June)

I want to give you what you want.  In my job as an event planner, that is what I DO.  I give my clients what they want, so I want to do the same with this blog. When I am working with an event client, I ask a LOT of questions to make sure I am doing what they expect so they are happy and share my info with others.  What kind of content would it take for you to share this with your friends? Because I WANT you to share it with your friends.  When something strikes me as true, or makes me laugh, or is really good I want to share it with anyone and everyone.  Whether it is a new place to eat, a sale that I found, a book or movie, or something great on the internet I want my people to know about it.  I want YOU to feel that way about my blog.  I want you to want to share it, so tell me what kind of content you like seeing and sharing.

Post in the comments.  I really want to know.  And to celebrate my 3rd Anniversary of this blog.  I will do a little giveaway.  All the people who comment on desired content will be put into a raffle for three of my favorite kitchen things! Winner will be announced here.

And just for your amusement, or annoyance depending on how you look at it, HERE

You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter too, just look for Good for Spooning.

 

David Bowie would say “Ch-ch-ch-changes…”

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Yeah I was lazy yesterday (not really) but I wasn’t thinking about my blog, I was thinking about my FitBit and how to get 10,000 steps in among other things.  I was thinking about the tasting menu for a rehearsal dinner I am catering.  I was thinking about eating sushi, making time to watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi because it is on “cable” this month.  I was thinking about the direction that this blog and my career are going. So here, with video clips in abundance is my offering to you.

My beloved only child is home for the summer.  He is not amused.  He really wanted to either stay in his college town and work this summer, or work as an intern using the degree he will be completing.  Unfortunately he isn’t doing either of those things, but IS employed (yippee!). IN case you are wondering, it is a job in food service. (Moment of Truth – I think EVERYONE should have to work in some aspect of food service at some point in their life so they can truly appreciate those who work in that field).

I had to learn to cook for four again instead of three.  Let me explain. I’ve always made extra so there would be left overs for John for lunch, so cooking for two in my house is really cooking for three.  Now that Jack is home, I had to adjust again and it took me less time this time. This kid can EAT!  And that’s not a bad thing.  At first I thought that he was just ending his final growth spurt, and that it would settle down.  NOPE!  I’ve figured out that he is so happy to be home and eat decent food.  I don’t care where you go to school; campus food is NOT as good as Mom’s home cooking.  No matter how bad a cook your mom might be, there is something special about having her cook for you. He informed me that he arrived at the house at an even 200 lbs, he is now creeping up to 210.  Most kids gain “the freshman 10”.  Not my kid, he loses weight at college.

Since Jack left for college, John and I have been doing a LOT of dining out.  Partly because we want to, and partly because our schedules have changed, gotten busier and if I cooked we’d be eating at 10 pm, and partly because there have been events, and events, and events.  Now that Jack is home, I once again feel responsible for feeding my child, so I am scratch cooking again.  And doing recipe trials.  And making things that take thought, planning and execution.  Almost like I am showing off.  For whom?  My guys know I can cook. Interestingly enough though, John is out of town for back to back conferences across 10 days and I haven’t been motivated to cook at all until I saw Chef, the Jon Favreau film. It’s ALL about change.  Now I want to cook all over again.

Changes are coming.  Can you smell them on the wind? Here are some things I have cooking:

  • My next LIVE demo at the Springs Preserve is June 21st at 10 am. Dress comfortably, we’ll be outside  You can buy your tickets here.  Be sure to link through – there is a video!
  • Guest Bloggers – first up, son Jack spouts off on Guilty Pleasures (not the book by Laurell K Hamilton). Have something to share? Want to guest blog? Shoot me an email through the “Contact Me” page and let’s see if you are a good fit.
  • My 3rd Anniversary of this blog (and a  GIVEAWAY of a  few of my favorite things – not like Oprah).
  • A “discussion” group about “The Hundred Foot Journey” by Richard C. Morais soon to be a movie.  I am not sure how it is going to work, but it will be through my Facebook page.  (You do know about that right?) and maybe dinner at a local Indian resto with whoever can join me.  

To see what I am ALWAYS doing, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram – I promise there will be food porn – and SUBSCRIBE to this blog so you get an email once a week when I post.  How easy is that?

 

Having a Party?  When to hire a pro.

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Anyone can pull off a great backyard BBQ for a dozen of their closest friends, but when do you need to call in a professional?  What tips the scales for you?  Tricky question.  Here are a few organization tips, notes on when to call in a pro and money saving ideas for when you DO call in the big guns.

Organization

  • Make a list – yes really – for EVERYTHING! Guests, food, paper goods, bar needs, transportation, etc.  This will help you narrow down what you need to do now, what can be done tomorrow and what has to be left until the day of the event. There is a great app for the phone called G-tasks and you can actually create your list online in Google Calendar and it will transfer to your phone and vice versa.
  • Do anything you can as far in advance as possible.  For example: paper goods don’t spoil, buy them as soon as you have a color scheme. Liquor doesn’t go bad either; buy it in advance so you aren’t rushing around at the last minute.
  • Doing tasks ahead of time allows you a time cushion. In case something goes wrong, you’ll have time to fix it.
  • Have a budget on how much you want to spend.  This can be overall or broken down by service or goods

When should you hire a pro?  After you make your list:

  • Know your limits. I can handle 40 at my house easily, any more than that and I need to call in the reserves.
  • Is it an important occasion? Anniversary?  Wedding? (I don’t handle weddings) Milestone Birthday? You may want a pro so everything runs smoothly.
  • Do you often feel you are stuck in the kitchen when you’d rather be socializing? You may want to hire a pro.
  • Working with a destination or a venue not your home? You definitely want a pro.
  • The bonus of hiring a pro is they will consider ALL the options available to you, make suggestions and they won’t miss a trick.  ALL of your bases will be covered and everyone, including you, will have a great time.

Money Saving Tips:

  • Keep in mind that any service or goods arranged for you come with a cost attached to cover the pro’s time, so you aren’t only paying for the service, but you are paying for the time it took your coordinator to set it up for you.
  • I recently told a potential client that since they wanted a BBQ, it might be more cost effective for them to purchase their own meats and man their own grill and I’d take care of the rest.  The salads are time intensive and need to be FRESH so the time saved the day of the event will be well worth it to them.
  • Buy your own liquor if you are hosting at home – a premium is attached when a coordinator does it for you. If you are using a venue, you have to use their booze.
  • Consider having a “signature cocktail” versus an open bar.  You might want to do Sangria, Mojitos, Mimosas or some other beverage that can be served in a pitcher along with beer and soft drinks.  My sister had a brunch wedding with Bloody Marys and Mimosas instead of an open bar and it was FAB!
  • Get everything in writing! A clear contract of services and goods provided will save you and your coordinator a hassle in the long run.  Everything is spelled out and no stone will be left unturned.  HOWEVER, do NOT ask your coordinator to do additional tasks the day of the event free of charge.  The price you were quoted covers what you contracted them to do.

Think you need help with your next event?  That’s where I come in!  Give me a call and let’s see how we can work together!

Did you know if you SUBSCRIBE to this blog, you’ll get it every week without having to hunt it down?  Did you also know you can follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? Just look for Good for Spooning!

It Should ALWAYS be About the Quality, NOT the Bottom Line

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I was recently talking to Sister Nancy about giving it our all.  Nancy said, “I give 100% of myself every time I walk out the door.  If I am going to [the gym], I work out until I feel like I am going to puke in the bushes because I know I will get the results I want.  If I am going to work, I want to feel like I gave the best I had to give that day.”  I feel the same way about my job, but not about my workouts.  When I am working, I give 100% because I want to know that I gave my client the best value for their money and I want to be proud of myself at the end of the day.

You can’t “phone it in”

Of course we ALL have days where we just want to “phone it in” and slide by to get through.  Do just enough to be able to say, “I did my job.”  But when it comes to food you can’t do that.  You can’t skip steps. You can’t “phone it in”.  You HAVE to lay it all out there.  As dancers say, “Leave it all on the dance floor”, because someone is EATING that product.  Someone is putting your work in their bodies.  Whether we are talking about cleanliness, quality of product received or quality of product put out, you can’t “phone it in” when dealing with food.  It’s about pride, self-respect and the respect of your peers, your clients. 

But…what if you were asked to NOT give it your all?  What if you were asked to compromise yourself, your image, your brand or your standards? What if you were asked to do less, accept inferior product or put out less than stellar product for the sake of a profit margin?  What would you do then?  Many would shrug, shake their heads and do as the higher ups dictate to keep their job.  Precious few would tender their resignation and walk away seeking a more like minded environment in which to work.  As a waitron trained in NY I was held to a standard of speed, accuracy and professionalism.  In other parts of the world I was asked to “not work so hard” because I made the other staff members look bad…yes, really.  During those years I had to suck it up and lower my standards because I needed the jobs and the jobs were few and far between.

So people, my questions to you are these:

  • Have you ever compromised your standards to keep a job?  If so, how far?
  • When you walk in the door every day at work, do you give 100%?  If not, why not?
  • Have you ever taken a job because you knew you could skate by with minimal effort? (Moment of Truth – I have)
  • Have you ever turned down a job because they expected too much? (Moment of Truth – I have because the pay to work ratio was unacceptable)

And to you Diners:

  • What would you think if you learned that in order to make money, rather than raise prices, an establishment started using average ingredients instead of the top quality ingredients the recipes call for?
  • What would you think of a Chef who resigned because he/she was asked to lower their standards and serve less than stellar food?
  • Are you willing to pay more at a resto if they had to raise prices due to supply costs?

Think about these things every time you get a little sticker shock from a menu.  In general, you are paying more because you are getting more (Yes, I know that is not true in all places.  Sometimes you are paying for the view, the tourist trap or convenience).  And three cheers to the culinarians and beverage professionals who refuse to compromise and go the extra mile to give us the absolute best flavor experience they have to offer.

On another note:  Did you know you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter?  Well you can!  Just look for Good for Spooning on all three outlets.

Did you also know that you can see me cook live at the Springs Preserve?  Well you can!  Buy your tickets HERE.  Space is limited, so get in on it now!  This Saturday is the first of three workshop style classes.  And guess what?  You get to eat too!